What is the Location Independent Lifestyle?

What is the Location Independent Lifestyle?

Location independence is a growing trend among technology and knowledge workers that has been popularized by blogs like Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Workweek blog, Dell’s Digital Nomads site, LocationIndependent.com, Workshifting, Anywired and many more. A location independent professional or digital nomad is someone who leverages technology and the internet to work wherever they want—be it from home, your favorite coffee shop, a restaurant, hotel, on the beach, or even from the other side of the world! These nomadic entrepreneurs use their laptops, iPhones, a little resourcefulness, and a few handy web-based applications to earn an income wherever they live or travel.

Location independent professionals frequently work as freelance writers, photographers, affiliate marketers, web designers, developers, graphic designers, and sometimes they simply pick up odd jobs as they go. Social media makes it much easier for anyone with enough motivation to share their ideas with a global audience and build a successful business these days, and with the increasing availability of free and cheap wifi internet access all around the globe, it’s becoming increasingly possible for anyone to work and vagabond their way around the globe simultaneously!

It has NEVER Been Easier to Design Your Ideal Lifestyle and Work from Anywhere in the World!

How Timothy Ferriss Pursuaded Me to Become a Digital Nomad and Move to Thailand

I left California in November 2008 with a one-way ticket and no plans to return for at least a year. I’d had a nasty breakup, found myself bored at my office job, stagnating in my personal growth, followed by another messy relationship. I was ready for change. I had lived in my hometown for 24 years and I was ready for new scenery.

My desire to travel abroad started as a bit of an escape—to start fresh somewhere new—and my interest in coming to Southeast Asia was fueled by Timothy Ferriss’ inspiring New York Times Bestseller The 4 Hour Workweek. Ferriss, like many other business backpacker/vagabond/digital nomad types, noted that Thailand and Argentina were two of the world’s best remaining destinations where Americans can easily stretch their dollar.

So rather than waiting for retirement and dreaming about living in some future beach paradise, I decided to mold my life into something where I could work and travel at the same time. I spent a year and a half building a business that I could run remotely from anywhere on the globe. And then I went for it!

How Breaking the Rules Lets Me Live a James Bond Lifestyle of International Intrigue

When I read Tim Ferriss’ 4HWW, I learned that all the rules have changed. Working 40- to 60-hour weeks and waiting until retirement to do what you really want to do isn’t the only option. The “deferred life plan” is for losers.

It doesn’t cost as much as you might think to live a rockstar lifestyle and jet set around the world, and it really isn’t all about money anyways! Ferriss pointed out that we don’t really want to be millionaires, we want to experience what we think only millions can buy.

By leveraging geo-arbitrage—earning in a strong currency while you live somewhere with a low cost-of-living—extended travel and living abroad can actually present some massive advantages if you choose the right location.

Creating a business I could operate from anywhere has given me the freedom to choose where I live, when I work, and it has enabled me to travel and free up more time to put into relationships, writing, volunteering, and other side projects that might not contribute to my income. Living this lifestyle teaches you that traveling is easier than you think: with a little resourcefulness, you’ll be amazed what sort of great experiences you can have for free or very cheap! You will see some incredible things that will change the way you think about the world.

To share a little taste of what the James Bond lifestyle, here are a few videos from my recent adventures.

In late March, I took a brief trip with friends to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh and then to see the ancient temple ruins at Angkor Wat. Watch for sunset at the temple, stunning/eerie photos of the ruins, and watch as we get the special opportunity to witness a Buddhist monk ordination ceremony atop the summit of a steep temple:

In April, I flew home to the US to roadtrip with friends to Indio, California and attend the Coachella Valley Music Festival, an awesome 3-day concert in the California desert, to see Paul McCartney, The Killers, M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, Franz Ferdinand, The Crystal Method, Michael Franti, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and more in concert:

I returned to Thailand, where I spent some quality time on the beach in Krabi with the girlfriend and some new travel buddies. Watch for cheap accommodation suggestions, a longtail boat ride-along, incredible poi dancing, and feeding monkeys on the beach:

What the Hell Are You Waiting For!? If I can do it, You Can Live Your Dream Lifestyle Too!

If you are serious about developing a business that you can run from anywhere, I highly recommend you check out the resources below. These are the applications, financial tools, and resources that I use daily and recommend to all my clients and friends. All of my best-kept secrets! I want to encourage others to pursue freedom—the freedom to live and work anywhere, and to live life beyond borders and limitations, so I wouldn’t recommend something if it didn’t help you get closer to those dreams.

Blog Articles & Books

Resources, Gadgets & Apps for Making it Happen!

To follow my adventures as I try to sidestep the ratrace and vagabond around the globe, visit me at ThrillingHeroics.com and subscribe to the sexy RSS feed.

Questions?

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Here’s To Your Success. Live Life Remarkably!